Semantics and Symbolism of Colour in Historical Novel Marusya Churai by Lina Kostenko

Abstract

The article examines the symbolism and functions of colour in Lina Kostenko’s historical novel in verse Marusya Churai, with particular attention to their semantic gradation. It explores the writer’s perception of colour both as a means of defining specific properties and as a tool for conveying the “landscape of the soul” – the protagonist’s inner world, moods, and emotions. Alongside traditional associations, the study considers the distinctive features of the author’s personal interpretation of colour semantics. The analysis demonstrates that colour in Marusya Churai carries varied functions: semantic, descriptive, and emotional. The author most frequently employs black, red, and white, while grey, silver, gold, green, orange, and blue appear with nearly equal frequency. Each colour selected by the writer to depict a phenomenon or object reflects her worldview, serving as a prism through which she perceives events and situations, and penetrates the depths of human consciousness and the soul.